# What is your personal dump stat? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 9, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095 "2011-08-09T16:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/1 "2011-08-09T16:29:05Z")
Just thought this might be fun for us D&D players here. What is your own personal dump stat? For me, probably strength or charisma. I’m only of average strength (I’d probably give myself a 9 or 10) and I can make friends easily enough, but I don’t really inspire people and I can’t see anyone dropping their whole life to join my party. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/2 "2011-08-09T17:46:49Z")
☹ They’re _all_ dump stats. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/3 "2011-08-09T17:54:47Z")
Hmmm…I guess charisma? I’m not by any means _un_likeable, but I suppose I can be rather milquetoast. Actually, scratch that…it’s wisdom. There are more than a few times [sub]a day[/sub] where I injury myself/break something by being absent-minded, forget whatever it was I was supposed to do, was just at the store and didn’t get the item I went into the store for, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/4 "2011-08-09T17:56:26Z")
Probably Wisdom and Charisma and Dexterity combined as a result of my nonverbal learning disability. However, my high executive level processing (INT) allows me to eventually compensate for my visual processing shortcomings so when interacting with the same people/situations repeatedly, over time my WIS and CHR as it applies to those will steadily increase. Though, sadly many tasks involving DEX require the ability to rapidly process changing visual cues so I’m not likely to ever be good at many arts and crafts (since it would take me forever to make anything) or fast-paced sports such as basketball. But my agility is actually very high, and I have a good hand-eye coordination when it comes to concentration tasks (i.e. target shooting). D&D just doesn’t abstract mental aptitudes/limitations very well. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/5 "2011-08-09T18:34:17Z")
Wisdom, for certain. Even with age-related gains to that stat, it’s undoubtedly still in the single digits. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/6 "2011-08-09T18:44:37Z")
Charisma and Strength. Ironically, I do less backbreaking work than a medieval peasant but could probably take them on in a fight since I’m larger than them, but that’s more a measure of the discreteness of the Medium/Large sizes than my actual weightlifting ability which is minimal. And I’d like to think I have a high Con since I walk 20+ miles in one shot every weekend and have never gotten a major disease or bone break and have run 3 marathons, but the peasants field work and exposure to diseases means that their con is probably higher than me despite this. But I can improve my con with exercise better than my str. And when I argue, what usually happens is I tend to convince them of the opposite side. Then again, despite not thinking highly of myself in my work accomplishments, I’ve never been fired in 25 years of work and only laid off once, so I must be doing something right charisma wise. Unless I don’t have the wisdom to realize I am doing a good job 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/7 "2011-08-09T19:07:24Z")
Hmmm. Spot and Listen are both affected by Wisdom, and I’m pretty much at -10 for both. I’m not liking the implication. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/8 "2011-08-09T19:07:44Z")
Dexterity, I’m not weak but I couldn’t run a mile if my life depended on it. And missile weapon accuracy? Forget about it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/9 "2011-08-09T19:48:02Z")
Strength, definitely, though my charisma and probably my dexterity are also below-average. Dex is tricky for me to judge, since my fine motor control is much better than my gross: I can thread a needle with the best of them, but I can’t catch, throw, or dodge worth a darn. Eh, a focus on Int and a decent Con isn’t too bad for a wizard, whatever else. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/10 "2011-08-09T20:33:43Z")
I’d say dexterity. I’m reasonably strong and have a high Constitution score, but I’m not flexible, and unless it involves a baseball, I don’t have any particularly impressive physical skills. I can’t wrap presents, shuffle cards, or do most anything that involves fine motor skills. We had a “what are your D&D scores” thread awhile ago and WAY too many people were giving themselves 18s. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/11 "2011-08-09T20:49:53Z")
Strength. I’ve never been very strong but these days I’m horribly out of shape. I’ll add full-body Dexterity to that as well–like **Chronos** , my fine-motor dexterity is pretty good, but I avoid playing volleyball because I can’t seem to coordinate both hands to hit the damn ball at the same time. I’m also about as flexible as a bar of titanium. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/12 "2011-08-09T20:54:13Z")
Con by a mile. I’m not horribly weak so Str is ok, dance and martial arts lessons have increased the Dex to a decent level, my Int is pretty damn good, Wis is meh but not awful, and Cha must be better than ok as I’m the designated spokesperson for my social group. However, anything involving fortitude or stamina? Forget that shit. I’ve got no chance. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/13 "2011-08-09T21:53:46Z")
Charisma. I’m a big, strong, ugly hunk o’ cynicism. Balding, too. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/14 "2011-08-09T22:39:20Z")
Dexterity. Less of a major klutz than I used to be but still. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/15 "2011-08-10T01:10:05Z")
> [@](#): > > We had a “what are your D&D scores” thread awhile ago and WAY too many people were giving themselves 18s. Mostly in Int, I’d wager. In a randomly-selected group of people, about 1 in 216 should have an 18 in any given score. But we’re not a randomly-selected group of people. First of all, I don’t think anyone denies that this board has a skew towards high-intelligence people. But second (and this would apply to any score), the people who post to a thread aren’t a cross-section of the board membership, either: A person is probably more likely to post to such a thread if they’ve got good scores. Of course, those online “IQ tests” don’t help matters, either. A hydrocephalic duck could score “above average” on most of them. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/16 "2011-08-10T01:20:27Z")
If you define WIS as common sense, then WIS. If it’s defined more broadly, then DEX. I’m a klutz. I trip. I have crappy handwriting, crappy fine motor control, and a complete inability to do things like draw, or play an instrument, or fit things together. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/17 "2011-08-10T01:55:41Z")
Strength. Although really I’m just lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/18 "2011-08-10T03:26:13Z")
I was going to say Dexterity…but on reviewing my feats, I note that I have Two-Weapon Fighting. In Pathfinder, at least, that has a prerequisite Dex of 15, so I guess my Dex can’t be below that. My endurance is pretty bad these days, so I’m going to go with Constitution as my dump stat\*–though given my looks, I ruled out Charisma only because I apparently get a bonus to Diplomacy somehow, despite it being a cross-class skill for an engineer. \*I think I took Toughness and Great Fortitude to help compensate for it, though. It’s a pretty weird build for a wizard, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/19 "2011-08-10T13:08:47Z")
Dexterity. I was never very flexible (I was the only kid in my gymnastics class who couldn’t do a back bend) and have always been a bit of a klutz, and I certainly haven’t gotten any better at either as I’ve gotten older. I am pretty good at fine motor skills, though, which just reinforces my belief that Dexterity in AD&D is too broad a descriptor and should be a split stat: one to describe physical agility and another for motor skills. ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095/20 "2011-08-10T14:33:58Z")
I’d say probably Dex - my ranged weapon skills aren’t that great, and my craft skills are limited. Con is a strange one, though. I don’t have that much endurance for stuff like running, but I rarely get ill - maybe I’ve got a resistance to poisons. But that would mean I’m a dwarf, and the skills I rely on most are Cha and Int… God damnit, I’m a Dwarven Bard. How poorly optimised can you get? Oh well, maybe there’s a supplement with some feats I could take. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-personal-dump-stat/592095.md?page=2)